district disruption & revival - education week · that fact, however, ... mn 337 149 69 923...

State Highlights 2013

National Highlights Report 2014

A Special Supplement to Education Week’s

QUALITY COUNTS 2014

District Disruption & Revival

School Systems Reshape to

Compete and Improve

National Highlights 2014

Education Week Research Center ▪ www.edweek.org/rc

National Highlights Report 2014 A special supplement to Education Week’s Quality Counts 2014 District Disruption and Revival: School Systems Reshape to Compete and Improve Copyright © 2014 by Editorial Projects in Education Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder. Readers may make up to 5 print copies of this publication at no cost for personal noncommercial use, provided that each copy includes a full citation of the source. Visit www.edweek.org/go/copies for information about additional print photocopies. Published by: Editorial Projects in Education Inc. 6935 Arlington Road, Suite 100 Bethesda, MD 20814 Phone: (301) 280-3100 www.edweek.org


Education Week Research Center ▪ www.edweek.org/rc 1

About this Report The 18th annual edition of Education Week’s Quality Counts continues the tradition of tracking key education indicators and

grading the states on their performance and outcomes. This year’s report also focuses on school district governance and

operations as its special theme, examining the impact of the increasingly complex fiscal, political, and technological forces that

are challenging school districts and prompting efforts to cope with new pressures. Education Week journalists take an in-

depth look at the prominent developments—including school choice initiatives, district mergers, and federal policy shifts—

transforming the traditional environment for education governance.

To complement the report’s journalism, the Education Week Research Center conducted an original survey of school district

administrators, who shared their insights and opinions on factors influencing governance and operations in their systems,

high-profile reform options, and non-traditional schooling models. Highlights of the study are featured in the report. This year’s report also features newly updated 50-state information on results in three of the areas monitored by the report

on an ongoing basis as part of Quality Counts’ State of the States framework: the Chance for Success Index; the K-12

Achievement Index; and school finance.

To provide a comprehensive perspective on state policy and performance, the 2014 National Highlights Report integrates

updated findings for 2014 with policy data from previous editions of Quality Counts. Those policy categories include data for:

standards, assessments, and accountability; the teaching profession; and transitions and alignment. Most of the indicators

that appear in Quality Counts are based on original analyses and state-survey data from the Education Week Research Center,

supplemented by information published by other organizations.

Overall findings from Quality Counts show that some states perform consistently well or poorly across the full range of graded

categories. However, a closer examination of the results reveals that most states post a strong showing in at least one area.

This suggests that while broad evaluations of state rankings and performance can be useful, a deeper reading of the results

presented in this National Highlights Report will provide a more nuanced perspective on the educational condition of the

nation and the states.

Education Week Research Center

January 2014

About Editorial Projects in Education

Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization based in Bethesda, Md. Its primary mission is

to help raise the level of awareness and understanding among professionals and the public of important issues in American education. EPE

covers local, state, national, and international news and issues from preschool through the 12th grade. Editorial Projects in Education publishes

Education Week, America’s newspaper of record for precollegiate education, the online Teacher, Digital Directions, and Industry & Innovation

channels, and the TopSchoolJobs employment resource. It also produces periodic special reports on issues ranging from technology to

textbooks, as well as books of special interest to educators.

The Education Week Research Center conducts policy surveys, collects data, and performs analyses that appear in

Education Week and its special reports—Quality Counts, Technology Counts, and Diplomas Count. The center also conducts independent

research studies and maintains the Education Counts and EdWeek Maps online data resources.



Quality Counts Grading Breakdown This table reports the detailed scoring behind the grades for the six major

topics examined in Quality Counts. Scores for those major categories are

based on the respective subcategory scores.

U.S.

Average

U.S.

Average

Chance for success (2014)

Transitions and alignment (2013)

Early foundations 79.2 Early-childhood education 84.1 School years 76.2 College readiness 69.2 Adult outcomes 77.0 Economy & workforce 92.2

K-12 achievement (2014) Standards, assessments,

and accountability (2012)

Status 65.6 Standards 87.3 Change 68.3 Assessments 83.3 Equity 81.7 School accountability 85.3

School finance

analysis (2014) The teaching

profession (2012)

Equity 85.6 Accountability for quality 74.5 Spending 65.4 Incentives & allocation 70.4

Building & supporting capacity 72.6

Grading Curve A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), F (0-59)

QUALITY COUNTS 2014 GRADING SUMMARY

Average State Top State Bottom State

Chance for success (2014) C+ A- (MA) D (NV)

K-12 achievement (2014) C- B (MA) F (MS)

School finance analysis (2014) C A- (WY) D- (ID)

Transitions and alignment (2013) B- A (GA) D- (MT)

Standards, assessments, and accountability (2012)

B A (IN) D+ (NE)

The teaching profession (2012) C B+ (SC) D- (AK)



Perspectives on a Changing Landscape

A range of powerful factors—including economic, political, and technological forces—are prompting changes in school system

operations and in traditional models of education governance across the nation. District administrators are often charged with

navigating this evolving environment. To gauge attitudes toward prominent management challenges and reform options, the

Education Week Research Center conducted an online survey of more than 450 district administrators who are registered users of

edweek.org, the Education Week website. The results provide a window into education leaders’ perspectives on important

developments in district governance and operations.

A Need for Change

More than half of survey respondents

(55%) agreed that significant changes in

the governance or structure of their school

districts are needed in order to address

current challenges. District officials

reported that a range of factors—among

them fiscal challenges and accountability

pressures—have prompted consideration

of significant governance or structural

changes in their school systems.

SOURCE: Education Week Research Center, 2014

Drivers of Change

A national sample of district administrators

was asked whether a range of factors had

prompted consideration of changes in

district governance or structure. Nearly 90

percent of respondents reported that

economic and fiscal challenges were

important drivers of change, with 53

percent expressing strong agreement with

that sentiment. More than 80 percent of

respondents agreed that accountability

pressures and technology shifts have led

them to consider changes.


SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS

21%

34%

37%

9%

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

3646 47 44

36 42

5340 36

2628 22

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Economic andfiscal

challenges

Accountabilitypressures

Technologicalshifts

Largeachievement

gaps

Low studentachievement

Changingdemographics

Percent of respondents

Strongly agree

Agree



Anticipated Results

Respondents were asked to share their views on the outcomes that would be likely to result from two frequently discussed

structural and governance reforms: merging high- and low-poverty districts and establishing state-managed turnaround districts.

Merger of High- and Low-Poverty Districts

Administrators felt that district merger offers

greater promise for addressing some

challenges than others. Sixty-two percent of

respondents agreed that consolidating high-

and low-poverty districts would be a sound

approach for increasing equity in school

funding, and 53 percent believed the strategy

would be likely to reduce racial or

socioeconomic segregation. But one-third or

fewer thought mergers would be an effective

way to reduce achievement gaps or raise

student achievement.


State-led Turnaround

Respondents viewed the likely effects of state-

run recovery or turnaround school districts

comparatively less favorably. Thirty-four

percent of administrators agreed that a state-

run district could help improve a school

system’s financial resources. But fewer than

one-quarter felt that such state-led initiatives

would promote innovation in their schools.

Fewer than 1 in 5 respondents said that state

turnaround would improve student

achievement or help to narrow achievement

gaps.


31

34

49

53

62

Raising student achievement

Reducing achievement gaps

Reducing costs and achieving greater

operational efficiency

Reducing racial or socioeconomic

segregation

Increasing equity in school funding

18

19

23

34

Reducing achievement gaps

Raising student achievement

Increasing innovation in schools

Improving financial resources



A Complex “District” Environment

The vast majority of students in

the nation’s public schooling

system have historically been

served by traditional school

districts, which operate within

prescribed geographical

boundaries under the

management of a central office,

superintendent, or other

authority. That fact, however,

belies the considerable and

growing complexity that

characterizes the public K-12

sector.

Today, schools are operated by

and in conjunction with a variety

of distinct governmental bodies

and organizations, collectively

known as local education

agencies, or LEAs. In 2010-11,

these nearly 18,000 agencies

included regular independent

school districts, as well as

charter agencies (which operate

one or more public charter

schools), supervisory unions

(which provide administrative

services for multiple districts),

regional service agencies, and

state- and federally-operated

agencies.

The number of agencies of each

type varied considerably from

state to state. An analysis of

enrollment data also illustrates

substantial differences in district

size, both within and across

states.

*The 1 million students of the New York

City Public Schools are served by one

supervisory union and 33 constituent

school districts.

SOURCE: Education Week Research

Center analysis of the U.S. Department of

Education’s Common Core of Data, 2014

Educational Agency Data by State

Regular Districts

All-charter Agencies

Other Agencies

Regular District Enrollment

Median Largest Smallest

AL 133 0 38 2,984 62,016 509

AK 53 0 1 417 49,206 12

AZ 224 384 41 1,146 65,123 4

AR 239 17 33 1,014 25,685 362

CA 955 29 205 1,938 667,273 6

CO 178 1 80 591 85,979 33

CT 169 18 13 2,200 21,021 81

DE 19 19 3 4,723 17,190 1,185

DC 1 52 1 44,199 44,199 44,199

FL 67 0 8 12,931 347,366 1,104

GA 180 11 21 3,532 160,744 218

HI 1 0 0 179,601 179,601 179,601

ID 116 26 4 836 35,537 5

IL 868 2 208 953 405,644 31

IN 293 60 38 1,906 33,079 168

IA 359 0 9 660 33,091 69

KS 312 0 12 562 49,329 37

KY 174 0 20 2,310 97,331 121

LA 70 44 12 5,199 45,230 676

ME 235 0 17 564 6,970 5

MD 24 0 1 17,033 144,023 2,183

MA 244 63 87 2,314 56,037 4

MI 551 249 64 1,522 77,757 2

MN 337 149 69 923 39,158 55

MS 152 0 12 2,262 31,916 173

MO 522 36 9 618 25,084 18

MT 417 0 86 104 10,562 1

NE 251 0 39 362 49,405 81

NV 17 0 1 3,380 314,059 64

NH 178 10 89 550 15,731 18

NJ 613 73 4 1,287 41,235 5

NM 89 33 6 637 95,415 42

NY* 727 170 55 1,562 60,665 17

NC 115 99 21 6,786 144,173 607

ND 183 0 44 211 11,017 3

OH 615 339 109 1,685 51,134 10

OK 526 3 49 433 42,989 17

OR 186 11 24 906 45,818 2

PA 500 145 128 2,148 166,233 198

RI 32 12 10 2,966 23,573 128

SC 86 1 17 4,437 71,930 676

SD 152 0 20 318 21,390 20

TN 137 0 3 3,567 111,834 2

TX 1,031 210 34 941 204,245 20

UT 41 76 7 4,541 70,083 210

VT 294 0 66 212 3,632 3

VA 134 0 91 3,946 174,479 238

WA 295 0 19 1,074 47,735 5

WV 55 0 2 3,867 28,458 943

WI 424 18 19 958 80,934 53

WY 49 0 12 778 13,171 29

U.S. 13,623 2,360 1,961 1,146 667,273 1



The Chance for Success Index

The Education Week Research Center developed the Chance for Success Index to better understand the role of education across an

individual’s lifetime. Based on an original state-by-state analysis, this index combines information from 13 indicators that span a

person’s life from cradle to career. The Chance for Success framework allows states to identify strong and weak links in their

residents’ educational life course―their typical trajectory from childhood through adulthood. More importantly, the index also

provides information that could be used to target the efforts of public education systems in ways that better serve students of all

ages.

State Success Indicators

Top Bottom National From Quality Counts 2014 State State Average

Early Foundations Family income

Children from families with incomes at least 200% of poverty level (2012) 70.4 (ND) 40.6 (MS) 55.0%

Parent education

Children with at least one parent with a postsecondary degree (2012) 64.3 (ND) 32.3 (NV) 46.2

Parental employment

Children with at least one parent working full time and year-round (2012) 88.0 (ND) 63.8 (MS) 72.8

Linguistic integration

Children whose parents are fluent English-speakers (2012) 99.3 (WV) 63.2 (CA) 83.3

School Years Preschool enrollment

Three- and 4-year-olds enrolled in preschool (2012) 74.2 (DC) 31.7 (NV) 47.7

Kindergarten enrollment

Eligible children enrolled in kindergarten programs (2012) 85.2 (DC) 67.6 (SD) 77.9

Elementary reading

Fourth grade public school students proficient on NAEP (2013) 47.5 (MA) 21.3 (MS) 34.0

Middle school mathematics

Eighth grade public school students proficient on NAEP (2013) 54.6 (MA) 18.8 (DC) 34.4

High school graduation

Public high school students who graduate with a diploma (class of 2010) 85.0 (VT) 57.0 (DC) 74.7

Postsecondary participation

Young adults enrolled in postsecondary education or with a degree (2012) 70.7 (MA) 37.7 (AK) 55.8

Adult Outcomes Adult educational attainment

Adults with a two- or four-year postsecondary degree (2012) 59.9 (DC) 27.4 (WV) 39.5

Annual income

Adults with incomes at or above national median (2012) 66.8 (DC) 39.4 (MS) 50.2

Steady employment

Adults in labor force working full time and year-round (2012) 77.7 (ND) 62.1 (OR) 69.8

SCORE 91.4 (MA) 65.7 (NV) 77.3

GRADE A- D C+

CHANCE FOR SUCCESS



The Chance-for-Success Index

captures the importance of

education in a person’s

lifetime from cradle to career.

Its 13 individual indicators

span a variety of factors,

including preparation in early

childhood, the performance of

the public schools, and

educational and economic

outcomes in adulthood.

The states are graded using a

“best in class” rubric, where a

score of 100 points on the

index would mean that a state

ranked first in the nation on

each and every indicator.

State scores range from 91.4

(Massachusetts, earning the

only A-minus) to 65.7 (Nevada,

with a D). A closer

examination of results shows

that, while early foundations

and adult outcomes do

contribute to the index,

indicators related to formal

education (the schooling

years) are the driving force

behind the state rankings.

NOTE: State subscores may not sum to

total score due to rounding.


21.2

22.2

22.3

23.2

22.3

24.7

23.3

23.9

23.8

21.5

23.7

22.0

24.0

23.5

24.8

24.0

24.0

25.1

24.7

23.3

24.0

25.6

25.5

25.3

25.1

25.5

25.7

26.9

25.5

27.6

25.1

25.2

26.4

25.1

24.6

24.3

26.3

27.2

26.0

26.2

27.4

28.2

27.5

27.6

27.5

30.6

28.5

27.6

28.9

27.0

27.6

24.4

28.7

27.8

31.0

30.4

30.8

31.1

32.6

31.4

31.4

33.5

32.2

33.7

33.5

33.3

33.3

34.0

34.0

31.2

33.9

35.6

34.7

34.4

33.2

35.0

35.5

35.9

36.1

34.3

35.4

34.1

36.0

36.0

35.4

36.7

37.4

34.5

37.2

37.0

38.3

37.3

36.8

37.3

37.5

37.9

40.1

36.2

39.2

40.2

39.4

41.5

43.6

35.2

15.8

16.6

15.6

16.3

17.1

15.9

15.9

16.7

17.0

17.4

16.6

17.4

16.4

17.1

16.1

16.3

16.6

18.7

16.7

16.5

16.9

16.4

18.5

17.0

16.7

17.2

17.0

17.9

18.7

17.9

18.6

18.6

18.1

18.3

19.0

22.7

18.4

18.2

18.2

19.3

19.0

18.8

19.8

20.3

18.8

20.1

19.5

19.7

19.7

19.7

20.2

17.8

65.7

66.6

68.9

69.9

70.2

71.6

71.8

72.0

72.2

72.4

72.6

73.0

73.9

73.9

74.2

74.4

74.6

74.9

75.3

75.3

75.7

76.3

77.3

77.3

77.3

78.6

78.8

79.1

79.5

79.6

79.7

79.8

79.9

80.2

81.0

81.5

81.9

82.4

82.6

82.9

83.1

84.2

84.8

85.9

86.4

86.9

87.3

87.5

88.0

88.2

91.4

77.3

0 20 40 60 80 100

NV

NM

MS

LA

AZ

WV

AR

AL

OK

CA

SC

TX

TN

GA

ID

KY

OR

AK

MI

FL

NC

MT

HI

MO

IN

OH

ME

UT

WA

SD

RI

DE

WY

IL

NY

DC

KS

WI

PA

CO

NE

IA

VA

MD

VT

ND

MN

CT

NH

NJ

MA

U.S.

Chance-for-Success Index

(points awarded by element)

Early Foundations

School Years

Adult Outcomes

Providing Opportunities for Success



The K-12 Achievement Index

The K-12 Achievement Index examines 18 distinct state achievement measures related to reading and math performance, high

school graduation rates, and the results of Advanced Placement exams. The index assigns equal weight to current levels of

performance and changes over time. It also places an emphasis on equity, by examining both poverty-based achievement gaps and

progress in closing those gaps.

State Achievement Indicators


Achievement Levels

4th grade math – Percent proficient on NAEP (2013) 59.4 (MN) 26.1 (MS) 41.3%

8th grade math – Percent proficient on NAEP (2013) 54.6 (MA) 18.8 (DC) 34.4%

4th grade reading – Percent proficient on NAEP (2013) 47.5 (MA) 21.3 (MS) 34.0%

8th grade reading – Percent proficient on NAEP (2013) 48.2 (MA) 17.4 (DC) 34.3%

Achievement Gains

4th grade math – Scale-score change on NAEP (2003-2013) +23.6 (DC) +0.8 (SC) +7.2

8th grade math – Scale-score change on NAEP (2003-2013) +22.2 (DC) +1.1 (IA) +7.5

4th grade reading – Scale-score change on NAEP (2003-2013) +17.2 (DC) -4.5 (WV) +4.2

8th grade reading – Scale-score change on NAEP (2003-2013) +12.2 (MD) -2.2 (WV) +4.7

Poverty Gap (National School Lunch Program, noneligible minus eligible)

Reading gap – 4th grade NAEP scale score (2013) 14.3 (WV) 50.2 (DC) 28.6

Math gap – 8th grade NAEP scale score (2013) 15.0 (WY) 35.4 (DC) 27.2

Reading-gap change – 4th grade NAEP (2003-2013), negative value = closing gap -5.8 (PA) +26.6 (DC) +0.7

Math-gap change – 8th grade NAEP (2003-2013), negative value = closing gap -8.2 (WI) +17.1 (DC) -1.2

Achieving Excellence

Math excellence – Percent advanced on 8th grade NAEP (2013) 18.2 (MA) 3.0 (MS) 8.3%

Change in math excellence – Percent advanced on NAEP (2003-2013) +9.9 (MA) +1.4 (AK) +3.4%

High School Graduation

Graduation rate – Public schools (class of 2010) 85.0 (VT) 57.0 (DC) 74.7%

Change in graduation rate – Public schools (2000-2010) +31.5 (TN) -8.0 (UT) +7.9%

Advanced Placement

High AP test scores – Scores of 3 or higher per 100 students (2012) 50.9 (MD) 3.9 (MS) 25.7

Change in AP Scores – Change in high scores per 100 students (2000-2012) +36.6 (MD) +2.1 (MS) +16.6

SCORE 83.7 (MA) 57.1 (MS) 70.2

GRADE B F C-

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY PERFORMANCE



The Education Week Research

Center’s K-12 Achievement Index

awards states points based on three

distinct aspects of student

achievement: current levels of

performance (status), improvements

over time (change), and achievement

gaps between poor and nonpoor

students (equity).

The nation as a whole earns 70.2 points,

on a 100-point scale, for a grade of C-

minus. The leading state, Massachusetts,

earns 83.7 points and a B, while

Mississippi finishes last with a score of

57.1.

Massachusetts is the only state to earn

an A in the status category, while

Maryland and New Jersey show grades

of C+ or better across the three

achievement dimensions.

NOTE: State subscores may not sum to total score

due to rounding.


15.0

16.0

16.0

16.6

18.9

18.2

21.7

21.8

24.4

22.7

20.2

24.4

23.7

21.5

21.9

20.3

24.9

25.8

22.6

25.4

26.7

25.0

22.5

26.5

25.1

26.7

26.3

26.2

24.8

25.1

24.8

26.3

24.9

22.2

24.0

27.7

28.1

30.5

28.1

27.1

30.1

30.6

29.2

28.6

26.1

32.3

32.2

31.7

33.6

32.5

36.6

25.5

23.9

32.0

24.5

25.1

21.9

26.4

23.9

23.2

21.5

22.5

24.0

24.3

23.5

27.0

26.7

27.6

23.8

23.3

27.6

23.4

24.4

25.0

28.9

24.1

27.6

25.4

23.8

24.7

25.2

24.2

26.9

24.3

27.1

29.3

28.7

26.2

25.1

25.2

25.9

26.6

27.0

26.2

28.3

28.3

29.8

26.8

27.7

27.5

29.9

31.8

30.1

26.5

18.2

11.1

19.3

18.6

20.1

17.5

17.0

17.6

17.3

18.6

20.0

16.1

18.7

18.2

18.0

18.8

18.3

18.2

17.6

19.3

17.3

18.5

17.3

18.5

16.7

17.6

19.6

18.8

19.8

20.7

18.5

19.7

18.3

18.9

18.1

17.4

18.8

16.7

18.6

19.2

17.1

17.4

17.4

18.8

19.9

17.5

17.4

19.7

18.6

18.8

16.9

18.1

57.1

59.2

59.8

60.3

60.8

62.2

62.6

62.6

63.2

63.8

64.2

64.8

66.0

66.6

66.7

66.7

67.0

67.3

67.8

68.2

68.4

68.5

68.8

69.1

69.3

69.6

69.7

69.8

69.8

70.0

70.2

70.2

70.3

70.4

70.7

71.3

72.1

72.4

72.6

72.8

74.2

74.2

74.9

75.6

75.8

76.7

77.3

78.8

82.1

83.1

83.7

70.2

0 20 40 60 80 100

MS

DC

LA

NM

WV

AL

SC

AK

SD

MI

OK

OR

MO

AZ

AR

NV

NE

IA

CA

ND

KS

DE

TN

UT

RI

IL

MT

NC

ID

WY

TX

NY

KY

HI

GA

OH

WI

CT

ME

IN

CO

VA

WA

PA

FL

MN

VT

NH

NJ

MD

MA

US

Status

Change

Equity

K-12 Achievement Index (points awarded by element)

Nation Earns Mediocre Grade on Achievement



Equity and Spending Indicators


Equity (2011)

Wealth-Neutrality Score – Relationship between district funding and local

property wealth -0.219 (NE) 0.348 (ID) 0.094

McLoone Index – Actual spending as percent of amount needed to bring

all students to median level 95.3% (FL) 83.9% (VT) 90.4%

Coefficient of Variation – Amount of disparity in spending across

districts within a state 0.086 (FL) 0.344 (AK) 0.168

Restricted Range – Difference in per-pupil spending levels at the 95th and

5th percentiles $1,997 (UT) $13,023 (AK) $4,566

Spending (2011)

Adjusted per-pupil expenditures (PPE) – Analysis accounts for

regional cost differences $19,534 (WY) $6,905 (UT) $11,864

Students funded at or above national average – Percent of

students in districts with PPE at or above U.S. average

100.0% (CT, DC, HI,

MD, NY, RI, WY) 1.1% (MS) 46.0%

Spending Index – Per-pupil spending levels weighted by the degree to

which districts meet or approach the national average for expenditures

100.0 (CT, DC, HI,

MD, NY, RI, WY) 61.1 (UT) 90.1

Spending on education – State expenditures on K-12 schooling as a

percent of state taxable resources 5.5% (VT) 2.4% (DE) 3.6%

SCORE 90.3 (WY) 60.0 (ID) 75.5

GRADE A- D- C Definitions of School Finance Indicators

Wealth-Neutrality Score: The wealth-neutrality score shows the degree to

which state and local revenue are related to the property wealth of districts. A

negative score means that, on average, poorer districts spend more dollars per

weighted pupil than do wealthy districts. A positive score means the opposite:

Wealthy districts have more funding per weighted pupil than poor districts.

McLoone Index: The McLoone Index is based on the assumption that if all

students in the state were lined up according to the amount their districts

spent on them, perfect equity would be achieved if every district spent at least

as much as that spent on the pupil in the middle of the distribution, or the

median. The McLoone Index is the ratio of the total amount spent on pupils

below the median to the amount that would be needed to raise all students to

the median per-pupil expenditure in the state.

Coefficient of Variation: The coefficient of variation is a measure of the

disparity in funding across school districts in a state. The value is calculated by

dividing the standard deviation of adjusted spending per pupil by the state’s

average spending per pupil. The standard deviation is a measure of dispersion

(i.e., how spread out spending levels are across a state’s districts). If all districts

in a state spent exactly the same amount per pupil, its coefficient of variation

would be zero. As the coefficient gets higher, the variation in the amounts

spent across districts also gets higher. As the coefficient gets lower, it indicates

greater equity.

Restricted Range: This indicator captures the differences in funding levels

found between the highest- and lowest-spending districts in a state. The index

value is calculated as the difference in per-pupil spending levels at the 95th and

5th percentiles. Districts enrolling fewer than 200 students are excluded from

the analysis.

Spending Index: The Spending Index takes into account both the proportion

of students enrolled in districts with spending at the national average, and the

degree to which spending is below that benchmark in districts where per-pupil

expenditures fall below the national average. Each district in which the per-

pupil-spending figure (adjusted for student needs and cost differences) reaches

or exceeds the national average receives a score of 1 multiplied by the number

of students in the district. A district whose adjusted spending per pupil is below

the national average receives a score equal to its per-pupil spending divided by

the national average and then multiplied by the number of pupils in the district.

The Spending Index is the sum of district scores divided by the total number of

students in the state. If all districts spend above the U.S. average, the state

attains a perfect index score of 100 points.

Note: The District of Columbia and Hawaii are single-district jurisdictions. As a result, it is

not possible to calculate measures of financial equity, which capture the distribution of

funding across districts within a state. The District of Columbia and Hawaii do not receive

grades for school finance and are not included in the rankings reported in this table.

SCHOOL FINANCE ANALYSIS



Education Alignment Policies The national summary column indicates the number

of states that have enacted a particular policy.

National

Summary From Quality Counts 2013

Early-Childhood Education (2012-13)

Early learning – State early-learning standards aligned with K-12 standards 47 states

School-readiness definition – State formally defines school readiness 26

School-readiness assessment – Readiness of entering students assessed 22

School-readiness intervention – Programs for students not deemed ready 28

Kindergarten standards – Learning expectations aligned with elementary 51 Postsecondary Education (2012-13)

College readiness – State defines college readiness 38

College preparation – College prep required to earn a high school diploma 16

Course alignment – Credits for high school diploma aligned with postsecondary system 8

Assessment alignment – High school assessment aligned with postsecondary system 21

Postsecondary decisions – High school assessment used for postsecondary decisions 15 Economy and Workforce (2012-13)

Work readiness – State K-12 system defines work readiness 38

Career-tech diploma – State offers high school diploma with career specialization 44

Industry certification – K-12 has path for industry-recognized certificate or license 42

Portable credits – K-12 pathway to earn career-tech. credits for postsecondary 48

GRADE (average state) B-

A National Perspective

The Education Week Research Center

examined state efforts to connect the K-12

education system with early learning,

higher education, and the world of work.

Fourteen key transitions and alignment

policies were included in Quality Counts

2013.

By the 2012-13 school year, most states

had enacted at least nine of the 14 tracked

policies; 19 states had 10 or more policies

in place. Georgia became the first state to

earn a perfect score, having implemented

all 14 policies. At the other end of the

spectrum, Nebraska and South Dakota had

just four such policies in place, and

Montana only three.


TRANSITIONS AND ALIGNMENT



Policy Indicators

The national summary column indicates the number of states that have

enacted a particular policy or, as applicable, the number of states with the

specified policy enacted for all subject areas or at all grade spans.

National


Academic Standards

English/language arts standards are course- or grade-specific (2011-12) 33 states

Mathematics standards are course- or grade-specific (2011-12) 31

Science standards are course- or grade-specific (2011-12) 26

Social studies/history standards are course- or grade-specific (2011-12) 26

Supplementary resources – Materials elaborate on standards in all core subjects (2011-12) 43

Supplementary resources – Materials provided for particular student populations (2011-12) 45 Assessments

Test items used to measure student performance

Multiple-choice items (2011-12) 51

Short-answer items (2011-12) 27

Extended-response items – English/language arts (2011-12) 38

Extended-response items – Other subjects (2011-12) 19

Portfolios of student work (2011-12) 0

Alignment of assessments to academic standards

English/language arts (2011-12) 51

Mathematics (2011-12) 51

Science (2011-12) 51

Social studies/history (2011-12) 10

Assessment systems

Vertically equated scores on assessments in grades 3-8 in English (2011-12) 21

Vertically equated scores on assessments in grades 3-8 in math (2011-12) 22

Benchmark assessments or item banks provided to educators (2011-12) 32 School Accountability (policies must apply to Title I and non-Title I schools)

State ratings – State assigns ratings to all schools on criteria other than AYP (2011-12) 24

Statewide student ID – State has a statewide student-identification system (2010) 51

Rewards – State provides rewards to high-performing or improving schools (2011-12) 37

Assistance – State provides assistance to low-performing schools (2011-12) 36

Sanctions – State sanctions low-performing schools (2011-12) 32

GRADE (average state) B Key: E = English, M = Math, S = Science, H = History/social studies

ES = elementary school, MS = middle school, HS = high school

STANDARDS, ASSESSMENTS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY



Efforts to Improve Teaching

The national summary column

indicates the number of states that

have enacted a particular policy.

National


Accountability for Quality Requirements for initial licensure (2011-12)

(* indicates requirements that do not also apply to alternative-route candidates)

Substantial coursework in subject area(s) taught 28 states

Test of basic skills 39

Test of subject-specific knowledge 43

Test of subject-specific pedagogy 4

Student-teaching during teacher training 41

Other clinical experiences during teacher training 15

Discouraging out-of-field teaching (2011-12)

Direct parental notification of out-of-field teachers 6

Ban or cap on the number of out-of-field teachers 7

Evaluating teacher performance (2011-12)

Formal evaluations of all teachers’ performance required 45

Student achievement is tied to teacher evaluations 17

Annual basis for teacher evaluations 20

All evaluators of teachers receive formal training 29

Teacher education programs (2011-12)

Rankings/results published for teacher-preparation institutions 31

Programs accountable for graduates’ classroom performance 16

Data systems to monitor quality (2011)

State links teachers to student-growth data 26

State links teachers and their performance data back to teacher education programs 10 Incentives and Allocation

Reduction of entry and transfer barriers (2011-12)

Alternative-route program for teacher preparation 50

Teacher-license reciprocity or portability arrangement with other state(s) 44

Teacher-pension portability across state lines 25

Salaries and incentives

Teacher-pay parity – Teacher salaries at least equal to comparable occupations (2010) 13

Districts report school-level salaries for teachers (2011-12) 12

Pay-for-performance program or pilot rewards teachers for raising student achievement (2011-12) 11

Differentiated roles for teachers formally recognized by state (2011-12) 22

Incentives for teachers taking on differentiated roles (2011-12) 15

Financial incentives for teachers to earn national-board certification (2011-12) 24

THE TEACHING PROFESSION



National Summary

Incentives and Allocation (cont.)

Managing and allocating teaching talent (2011-12)

Incentives to teachers working in targeted schools 20 states

Incentives to teachers working in hard-to-staff teaching-assignment areas 17

Incentives to board-certified teachers working in targeted schools 8

Incentives to principals working in targeted schools 10 Building and Supporting Capacity

Supports for beginning teachers (2011-12)

Induction program for all new teachers funded by state 14

Mentoring program for all new teachers funded by state 16

Mentoring-program standards for selecting, training, and/or matching mentors 13

Reduced workload for all first-year teachers 3

Professional development (2011-12)

Formal professional-development standards 39

Professional development financed by state for all districts 23

Districts/schools required to set aside time for professional development 16

Professional development aligned with local priorities 31

School leadership (2011-12)

Standards for licensure of school administrators 46

Required internship for aspiring principals 40

Induction or mentoring program for aspiring principals 19

School working conditions

Program to reduce or limit class size implemented by state (2011-12) 24

Student-to-teacher ratio median in elementary schools is 15:1 or less (2009-10) 28

State tracks condition of school facilities (2011-12) 25

State posts school-level teacher-survey data on climate, working conditions (2011-12) 9

GRADE (average state) C



Quality Counts 2014

This year’s 18th edition of Quality Counts

examines the impact of the increasingly

complex fiscal, political, and technological

forces that are challenging school districts and

spurring efforts to grapple with a range of

factors transforming the environment for

education governance. The print edition of

Quality Counts 2014 provides a 50-state

update on results in two distinct areas: K-12

achievement and school finance.

The National Highlights Report presents state-

specific summaries of key findings across all

six areas of policy and performance that

comprise the report’s state-grading rubric.

Due to a delay in the release of U.S. Census

Bureau data caused by the recent government

shutdown, new results for the Chance for

Success Index were not available for inclusion

in the report’s print edition. Updated data for

that category are only available online and in

the State Highlights Reports. Information is

drawn from the 2012, 2013, and 2014 editions

of Quality Counts. Reports for the 50 states

and the District of Columbia are available on

the Web at www.edweek.org/go/qc14.

Quality Counts regularly tracks and grades

state progress in six categories comprising

more than 150 different state-by-state

indicators. Most of these 50-state indicators

are based on original analyses and state-

survey data from the Education Week

Research Center. The report also draws on

published information from other

organizations.

The methodology section of Quality Counts

provides detailed descriptions of our

indicators and procedures for grading the

states. That information can be accessed

online at www.edweek.org/go/qc14 (2014),

www.edweek.org/go/qc13 (2013) and

www.edweek.org/go/qc12 (2012).

Policy information for standards, assessments,

and accountability; the teaching profession;

and transitions and alignment is drawn from

surveys of state education agencies

conducted for 2012 and 2013. Indicators

derived from other sources are listed in the

notes that follow.

Chance for Success (2014)

Elementary Reading and Middle School

Mathematics: 2013 State NAEP assessment.

U.S. Department of Education, 2013.

High School Graduation: Cumulative

Promotion Index, calculated using the U.S.

Department of Education’s Common Core of

Data, 2009-10. Education Week Research

Center, 2013.

Other Indicators: Education Week Research

Center analysis of data from the U.S. Census

Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2012.

K-12 Achievement (2014)

Reading and Mathematics Achievement:

2013 State NAEP assessment. U.S.

Department of Education, 2013.

High School Graduation: Cumulative

Promotion Index, calculated using the U.S.

Department of Education’s Common Core of

Data, 2009-10. Education Week Research

Center, 2013.

Advanced Placement: Education Week

Research Center analysis of data from the

College Board’s AP Summary Reports 2012,

and the U.S. Department of Education’s

Common Core of Data, 2011.

School Finance Analysis (2014)

Original Education Week Research Center

Analysis of Equity and Spending: Data for

these analyses were obtained from a variety

of sources, including: U.S. Census Bureau’s

Public Elementary-Secondary Education

Finance Data for 2011; U.S. Department of

Education’s Common Core of Data 2008-09

and 2010-11 (district-level data); NCES’

Comparable Wage Index 2005; U.S. Census

Bureau’s Small-Area Income and Poverty

Estimates 2011; U.S. Department of

Education’s School District Demographics

data, based on the 2000 U.S. Census; NCES,

Revenues and Expenditures for Public

Elementary and Secondary Education: School

Year 2010-11 (Fiscal Year 2011), July 2013;

and 2011 gross-state-product data from the

U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of

Economic Analysis.

Transitions and Alignment (2013)

All Indicators: Education Week Research

Center annual state policy survey, 2012.

Standards, Assessments, and Accountability (2012)

Assessment item types and alignment to

state standards: Education Week Research

Center review of testing calendars and other

materials from state education agency

websites, as verified by states, 2011.

State has a statewide student-identification

system: Data Quality Campaign, 2010.



The Teaching Profession (2012) Data Systems to Monitor Quality: Data

Quality Campaign, 2011.

Teacher-Pay Parity: Education Week Research

Center analysis of data from the U.S. Census

Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2009

and 2010.

Student-to-Teacher Ratio: Education Week

Research Center analysis of U.S. Department

of Education’s Common Core of Data, 2009-

10.



District Governance and Operations

In October 2013, the Education Week

Research Center conducted an online survey

of school district administrators who are

registered users of the Education Week

website. Key findings, based on their

responses, are presented in this report.

State Policy Indicators

NOTES AND SOURCES

Visit Quality Counts Online

www.edweek.org/go/qc14

> Purchase extra copies of Quality Counts by visiting

www.edweek.org/go/buyQC.

> Continue getting access to edweek.org, Quality Counts,

other annual reports, and the entire archives of

Education Week. Subscribe today!

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Highlights from this year’s report

A comprehensive look at school district governance and operations,

including timely journalistic coverage and original survey data and

analyses

Education Week Research Center’s K-12 Achievement Index, a multi-

dimensional analysis of current performance, equity, and gains over

time

State of the States—Our comprehensive annual review of state

performance, this year highlighting: K-12 achievement and school

finance

Online Extras

State Highlights Reports—Download individualized reports

featuring state-specific findings from Quality Counts

Education Counts—Access hundreds of education

indicators from Quality Counts using our exclusive online

database

Interactive tools—Readers can delve into state data and

use an online calculator to recompute grades based on

the indicators they feel are most important

District Disruption & Revival School Systems Reshape to Compete and Improve

The 18th edition of Quality Counts examines the impact of new pressures on school district governance and

operations. The print edition of the report also provides a 50-state update of results in two of the areas

monitored by the report on an ongoing basis: K-12 achievement and school finance.

QUALITY COUNTS 2014

district disruption & revival - education week · that fact, however, ... mn 337 149 69 923...

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